prove by the certificate of the officer legally commanding the regiment, er chartered, or legally authorized volunteer company in which he may have served or done duty, that he has been equipped and done duty according law, or by the certificate of the commissioners upon military claims, that he has performed military service, shall have a right to vote in the election of all civil officers, and on all questions in all legally organized town or ward meetings, until the end of the first year after the adoption of this constire, tion, or until the end of the year eighteen hundred and forty-three. From and after that time, every such citizen who has had the reside herein required, and whose name shall be registered in the town where resides, on or before the last day of December, in the year next precelia the time of his voting, and who shall show by legal proof, that he has 14 and within the year next preceding the time he shall offer to vote, paid a tax of taxes assessed against him in any town or city in this state, to the am of one dollar, or that he has been enrolled in a military company in this stam been equipped and done duty therein according to law, and at least for or day during such year, shall have a right to vote in the election of all dif officers, and on all questions, in all legally organized town or ward meetin Provided, that no person shall at any time be allowed to vote in the electi of the city council of the city of Providence, or upon any proposition to pose a tax, or for the expenditure of moneys in any town or city, unless he sha within the year next preceding have paid a tax assessed upon his propert therein, valued at least at one hundred and thirty-four dollars.2 SEC. 3. The assessors of each town or city shall annually assess me every person whose name shall be registered a tax of one dollar, or such sum with his other taxes shall amount to one dollar, which registry tax shall paid into the treasury of such town or city, and be applied to the support public schools therein; but no compulsory process shall issue for collection of any registry tax: Provided that the registry tax every person who has performed military duty according to the e visions of the preceding section shall be remitted for the year shall perform such duty; and the registry tax assessed upon any mar for any year while he is at sea, shall, upon his application, be remitted: no person shall be allowed to vote whose registry tax for either of the t years next preceding the time of voting is not paid or remitted as bec provided.2 SEC. 4. No person in the military, naval, marine, or any other service the United States shall be considered as having the required residence reason of being employed in any garrison, barrack, or military or naval s tion in this state: and no pauper, lunatic, person non compos mentis, persa under guardianship, or member of the Narragansett tribe of Indians, sha permitted to be registered or to vote. Nor shall any person convicted bribery, or of any crime deemed infamous at common law, be permitted exercise that privilege, until he be expressly restored thereto by act of the general assembly. SEC. 5. Persons residing on lands ceded by this state to the United Stri shall not be entitled to exercise the privilege of electors. SEC. 6. The general assembly shall have full power to provide for registry of voters, to prescribe the manner of conducting the elections, D form of certificates, the nature of the evidence to be required in case of a dpute as to the right of any person to vote, and generally to enact all Le necessary to carry this article into effect and to prevent abuse, corruption : Fa fraud in voting. ARTICLE III. OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF POWERS. The powers of the government shall be distributed into three dejarments: the legislative, excutive, and judicial. Sections 2 and 3 were annulled and superseded by sections 1 and 2 of Articl VI of the Amendments, adopted in 1888. ARTICLE IV. OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWER. SECTION 1. This constitution shall be the supreme law of the state, and ny law inconsistent therewith shall be void. The general assembly shall pass Il laws necessary to carry this constitution into effect. SEC. 2. The legislative power, under this constitution, shall be vested I two houses, the one to be called the senate, the other the house of reprentatives; and both together the general assembly. The concurrence of the No houses shall be necessary to the enactment of laws. The style of their ws shall be, "It is enacted by the general assembly as follows:" SEC. 3. There shall be two sessions of the general assembly holden anually: one at Newport, on the first Tuesday of May, for the purposes of ection and other business; the other on the last Monday of October, which last ssion shall be holden at South Kingstown once in two years, and the interediate years alternately at Bristol and East Greenwich; and an adjournent from the October session shall be holden annually at Providence.3 SEC. 4. No member of the general assembly shall take any fee, or be of unsel in any case pending before either house of the general assembly, under nalty of forfeiting his seat, upon proof thereof to the satisfaction of the use of which he is a member. SEC. 5. The person of every member of the general assembly shall be tempt from arrest, and his estate from attachment in any civil action, durg the session of the general assembly, and two days before the commenceent and two days after the termination thereof, and all process served conary hereto shall be yoid. For any speech in debate in either house, no ember shall be questioned in any other place. SEC. 6. Each house shall be the judge of the elections and qualifications its members; and a majority shall constitute a quorum to do business; it a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the atndance of absent members in such manner, and under such penalties, as may › prescribed by such house or by law. The organization of the two houses ay be regulated by law, subject to the limitations contained in this conitution. SEC. 7. Each house may determine its rules of proceeding, punish conmpts, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurnee of two-thirds, expel a member; but not a second time for the same cause. SEC. S. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings. The yeas id nays of the members of either house shall, at the desire of one-fifth of mose present, be entered on the journal. SEC. 9. Neither house shall, during a session, without the consent of the her, adjourn for more than two days, nor to any other place than that in hich they may be sitting. SEC. 10. The general assembly shall continue to exercise the powers they ive heretofore exercised, unless prohibited in this constitution. SEC. 11. The senators and representatives shall receive the sum of one llar for every day of attendance, and eight cents per mile for traveling exenses in going to and returning from the general assembly. The general sembly shall regulate the compensation of the governor, and all other officers, bject to the limitations contained in this constitution.4 SEC. 12. All lotteries shall hereafter be prohibited in this state, except ose already authorized by the general assembly. SEC. 13. The general assembly shall have no power, hereafter, without e express consent of the people, to incur state debts to an amount exceeding fty thousand dollars, except in time of war, or in case of insurrection or vasion; nor shall they in any case, without such consent, pledge the faith f the state for the payment of the obligations of others. This section shall 3 Modified by Article III of the Amendments, adopted in 1854, and by Section 1, rticle XI of the Amendments adopted in 1900. 4 Section 11 was annulled by Article XI (Section 1) of the amendments, adopted n 1900. not be construed to refer to any money that may be deposited with this state by the government of the United States. SEC. 14. The assent of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the general assembly shall be required to every bill appropriating the pubh money or property for local or private purposes. SEC. 15. The general assembly shall, from time to time, provide for mak ing new valuations of property, for the assessment of taxes, in such manner as they may deem best. A new estimate of such property shall be taken before the first direct state tax, after the adoption of this constitution, shall be assessed. SEC. 16. The general assembly may provide by law for the continuance a office of any officers of annual election or appointment, until other persons are qualified to take their places. SEC. 17. Hereafter, when any bill shall be presented to either house of the general assembly, to create a corporation for any other than for religions literary, or charitable purposes, or for a military or fire company, it shall continued until another election of members of the general assembly shall hate. taken place, and such public notice of the pendency thereof shall be given 2 may be required by law. 5 SEC. 18. It shall be the duty of the two houses, upon the request either, to join in grand committee for the purpose of electing senators m congress, at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by h for said elections. ARTICLE V. OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SECTION 1. The house of representatives shall never exceed seventy-tw members, and shall be constituted on the basis of population, always allowi one representative for a fraction exceeding half the ratio; but each town c city shall always be entitled to at least one member; and no town or city shak have more than one-sixth of the whole number of members to which the bo is hereby limited. The present ratio shall be one representative to ever fifteen hundred and thirty inhabitants, and the general assembly may, afte any new census taken by the authority of the United States or of this state reappointed the representation by altering, the ratio; but no town or c shall be divided into districts for the choice of representatives.6 SEC. 2. The house of representatives shall have authority to elect speaker, clerks and other officers. The senior member from the town of N port, if any be present, shall preside in the organization of the house. ARTICLE VI. OF THE SENATE. SECTION 1. The senate shall consist of the lieutenant-governor and of o senator from each town or city in the state. SEC. 2. The governor, and in his absence the lieutenant-governor, sh preside in the senate and grand committee. The presiding officer of *E senate and grand committee shall have a right to vote in case of equal divism. but not otherwise.7 SEC. 3. If, by reason of death, resignation, absence, or other cause, there be no governor or lieutenant-governor present, to preside in the senate, the senate shall elect one of their own members to preside during such absence vacancy; and until such election is made by the senate, the secretary of strtshall preside. SEC. 4. The secretary of state shall, by virtue of his office, be secretary of Section 17 was annulled and superseded by Article IX of the Amendments, adepel in 1892. Section 1 was annulled and superseded by Article XIII of the Amendments, adop ed in 1909. 7 Sections 2 and 3 were annulled and superseded by Article XIV of the Amendments, adopted in 1909. senate, unless otherwise provided by law, and the senate may elect such er officers as they may deem necessary,8 ARTICLE VII. OF THE EXECUTIVE POWER. SECTION 1. The chief executive power of this state shall be vested in a ernor, who, together with a lieutenant-governor, shall be annually elected the people. SEC. 2. The governor shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed. SEC. 3. He shall be captain-general and commander-in-chief of the miliy and naval forces of this state, except when they shall be called into the vice of the United States. SEC. 4. He shall have power to grant reprieves after conviction, in all es except those of impeachment until the end of the next session of the gen| assembly.9 SEC. 5. He may fill vacancies in office not otherwise provided for by this. stitution or by law, until the same shall be filled by the general assembly, or the people. SEC. 6. In case of disagreement between the two houses of the general mbly, respecting the time or place of adjournment, certified to him by either, nay adjourn them to such time and place as he shall think proper: Provided, t the time of adjournment shall not be extended beyond the day of the next ed session. SEC. 7. He may, on extraordinary occasions, convene the general assembly iny town-or-city in this state, at any time not provided for by law; and in of danger from the prevalence of epidemic or contagious disease, in the e in which the general assembly are by law to meet, or to which they may e been adjourned, or for other urgent reasons, he may by proclamation con→ said assembly at any other place within this state. SEC. 8. All commissions shall be in the name and by authority of the State Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; shall be sealed with the state , signed by the governor and attested by the secretary. SEC. 9. In case of vacancy in the office of governor, or of his inability to e, impeachment, or absence from the state, the lieutenant-governor shall the office of governor, and exercise the powers and authority appertaining reto, until a governor is qualified to act or until the office is filled at the t annual election. SEC. 10. If the offices of governor and lieutenant-governor be both vacant. reason of death, resignation, impeachment, absence, or otherwise, the person tled to preside over the senate for the time being shall in like manner he office of governor during such absence or vacancy. SEC. 11. The compensation of the governor and lieutenant-governor shall established by law, and shall not be diminished during the term for which are elected. SEC. 12. The duties and powers of the secretary, attorney-general, and eral treasurer, shall be the same under this constitution as are now estabed, or as from time to time may be prescribed by law. ARTICLE VIII. OF ELECTIONS. SECTION 1. The governor. lieutenant-governor, senators, representatives, etary of state. attorney-general and general treasurer. shall be ted at the town, city, or ward meetings, to be holden on the first Wednesof April, annually; and shall severally hold their offices for one year, from first Tuesday of May next succeeding, and until others are legally chosen. duly qualified to fill their places. If elected or qualified after the said first * See Article XIV of the Amendments. * See Article II of the Amendments, adopted in 1854. Tuesday of May, they shall hold their offices for the remainder of the politi year, and until their successors are qualified to act.10 SEC. 2. The voting for governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of store attorney-general, general treasurer and representative to congress, shall be by ballot; senators and representatives to the general assembly, and town or ty officers, shall be chosen by ballot, on demand of any seven persons entitled vote for the same; and in all cases where an election is made by ballot or [*] vote, the manner of balloting shall be the same as is now required in voting general officers, until otherwise prescribed by law. SEC. 3. The names of the persons voted for as governor, lieutenant-gover secretary of state, attorney-general and general treasurer shall be placed u one ticket; and all votes for these officers shall, in open town or ward n ings, be sealed up by the moderators and town clerks and by the warden : ward clerks, who shall certify the same and deliver or send them to the sem tary of state; whose duty it shall be securely to keep and deliver the same the grand committee, after the organization of the two houses at the arc May session; and it shall be the duty of the two houses at said session, N their organization, upon the request of either house, to join in grand committee. the purpose of counting and declaring said votes, and of electing other officers SEC. 4. The town and ward clerks shall also keep a correct list or reg of all persons voting for general officers, and shall transmit a copy thereof the general assembly, on or before the first day of said May session.11 SEC. 5. The ballots for senators and representatives in the several tom shall, in each case, after the polls are declared to be closed, be counted by moderator, who shall announce the result, and the clerk shall give certificat to the persons elected. If, in any case, there be no election, the polls may reopened, and the like proceedings shall be had until an election shall place: Provided, however, that an adjournment or adjournments of the de tion may be made to a time not exceeding seven days from the first meet SEC. 6. In the city of Providence, the polls for senator and representat shall be kept open during the whole time of voting for the day, and the va in the several wards shall be sealed up at the close of the meeting by wardens and ward clerks in open ward meeting, and afterwards delivered to city clerk. The mayor and aldermen shall proceed to count said votes with two days from the day of election; and if no election of senator and represe atives, or if an election of only a portion of the representatives shall have tra place, the mayor and aldermen shall order a new election, to be held not mo than ten days from the day of the first election, and so on until the elect shall be completed. Certificates of election shall be furnished by the city to the persons chosen. SEC. 7. If no person shall have a majority of votes for governor, it be the duty of the grand committee to elect one by ballot from the two sons having the highest number of votes for the office, except when STE result is produced by rejecting the entire vote of any town, city, or wani informality or illegality, in which case a new election by the electors thro out the state shall be ordered; and in case no person shall have a majeng of votes for lieutenant-governor, it shall be the duty of the grand commit to elect one by ballot from the two persons having the highest number of vi for the office. SEC. S. In case an election of the secretary of state, attorney-genera! general treasurer, should fail to be made by the electors at the annual electi the vacancy or vacancies shall be filled by the general assembly in grand e mittee, from the two candidates for such office having the greatest number of the votes of the electors. Or, in case of a vacancy in either of said offices fr other causes, between the sessions of the general assembly, the governor sha appoint some person to fill the same until a successor elected by the gener assembly is qualified to act; and in such case, and also in all other cases if 10 Sections 1-9 inclusive of this Article were annulled and superseded by Art XI of the Amendments, adopted in 1900. "Section 4 was superseded by Article I of the Amendments, adopted in 1854-* also, Article XI of the Amendments. |